The Government has announced a further extension to the ban on residential evictions until at least 21 February 2021.

This means landlords are prevented from enforcing writs of possession except for the limited circumstances outlined in our previous update.

The court rules and procedures brought into force last September to support both tenants and landlords during the pandemic will also remain in force.

The Government has also announced a new mediation pilot to further support landlords and tenants who will face issues in the next few months. It will offer mediation as part of the possession process to encourage a mutual agreement and keep people in their homes. This will enable the courts to prioritise urgent cases where resolution has not been possible.

The ban on business evictions is also currently in force until the end of March 2021.

We remind our clients to seek urgent legal advice before serving notices to avoid issues or delay in the future. Clients should take steps now given the inevitable delay the court will face. If you require advice about possession proceedings and/or taking enforcement action, please do get in touch with our highly experienced Property Disputes team.